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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Meeting Suzanne Kasler

Yesterday I was lucky enough to hear Suzanne Kasler speak at the Houston Design Center. The other 2 designers that I have recently begun working with often gather inspiration from Suzanne's classic and timeless aesthetic.

Just in case this is your first introduction to her work, Suzanne Kasler is an Atlanta-based interior designer who's work has been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Beautiful Homes, Southern Accents, Traditional Home, Veranda, and numerous other publications. In addition to designing, Suzanne launched a furniture line with Hickory Furniture, a fabric line for Lee Jofa, along with a collection of lighting for Visual Comfort.

Suzanne spoke about some of her noteworthy projects and how she gathered creativity from everyday life. She explained how she had recently gone on a shopping trip with her daughter and had been especially inspired by a button detail on a jacket. Thanks to the iPhone, she was able to snap a picture of it and plans to use it for inspiration in a later project. Suzanne makes it a regular practice to go to flea markets just to get inspired. She isn't looking for items for a particular client, but simply goes to gather new ideas.

Her belief is that the memories created by gathering antiques and adding them to our homes adds rich character and personality to our spaces. "I'm always looking. Ever since I can remember, I've been aware of my surroundings, noticing things like the profile of a molding or the fall of a curtain" Suzanne explains.

Suzanne believes the key to good design is good architecture, and that ultimitely less "design" is better. Having an architectural envelope in which to design properly will create both noteworthy and timeless interiors. It's no surprise, then, that her signiture color is white. She mentioned her favorite white paint color is Benjamin Moore's White Dove, and although she tries to branch out to other similar hues, she repeatedly goes back to White Dove. "It's an exciting time to be in design today," Kasler said, "because everyone is looking for a designer that will design to the client's particular design taste. However, staying authentic to yourself is the way to be successful."